


ink and irises

by orphan_account



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, F/F, M/M, They're gay your honor, also kaz and matthias are just proud dads of a few dumbass kids, ninej is canon yall are just cowards
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26343157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: nina zenik is a tattoo artist who might just have a crush on the cute florist across the street. will she manage to stop tripping over her own tongue long enough to ask inej out, or will the entire thing descend into a sad, sapphic situation?
Relationships: Genya Safin/Alina Starkov, Inej Ghafa/Nina Zenik, Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19
Collections: Grishaverse Big Bang 2020





	1. chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> hey y'all! i'm super excited to finally be posting this! it was a lot of fun to write, and i hope you enjoy it! there's lots of artwork for this fic, which you can find on my tumblr (@enbyparrish)! and thank you so much to my beta, maggie! i wouldn't have gotten two words in without your help <3

“nina! look, we have neighbors!” 

jesper’s excited shout drew her out to the front window, where she could see a trio of people painting and moving into the shop across the street. two boys and a girl, if her first glance was correct. she turned to jesper, a wicked grin on his face as he sat perched on the counter. he fiddled with a small pen cap before directing his attention outside.

“do we know anything about them?” nina asked, her mind already filling with ideas: an art gallery, maybe, or a clothing store, or a restaurant. the real estate around here never changed hands. it was washington d.c., and property rates were sky high. these people were either borrowing a lot of other people’s money, or they’d recently robbed a bank. nina secretly hoped for the latter. at least they would be fun to talk to.

jesper shook his head, his small gold earring glittering in the midday sun. it was a small book, an artsy little thing made of metal and filigree. no one knew what it stood for. but jesper never showed up to work without it. “genya said she heard it was a flower shop, or whatever they're called,” jesper offered. “florist? floristry?” 

“since when is genya a credible source on anything?” nina snorted, a smile budding on her lips. genya was a friend, the barista at a nearby coffee shop, and a known gossip. she was sweet, and made a mean espresso, but everything she said had to be taken with a grain of salt. or four, or five. 

jesper shrugged. “hey, don't shoot the messenger. just telling you what i heard.” 

“okay, but seriously, you're telling me that oaf is a florist?” nina teased, referring to the blond man standing in front of the shop, built like the hinalayan mountain range. “right, and i'm straight.”

“speaking of which,” jesper interjected, a sharp gleam in his eyes that usually preceded a spectacularly bad idea, “you seeing anyone lately?”

nina scoffed. “as if i'd tell you.”

“ouch, okay,” jesper complained, looking playfully wounded. “just asking to check if they're-” he grandiosely gestured to the new owners of the possible floristry “-fair game.”

“you're already trying to hook up with someone?” nina complained, fixing him with a glare. “jes, they haven't even moved in yet, for fuck’s sakes.”

jesper just hopped off the counter, a smile stretching wildly across his face. “so, i'm taking that as a yes.”

“i can't even with you sometimes,” nina groaned, running a hand through her hair. she had to admit, however, that the florists were cute. jesper didn't exactly have the wrong idea. it didn't mean she would ever admit it, however.

“we open in five minutes. could you two stop fantasizing about sleeping with our neighbors and actually get ready?” kaz growled, walking to the front and fussing over the piercing needles.

“sorry, dad,” jesper shot back, but it was lighthearted. he headed to the back to get his tattoo station cleaned up. it was always such a mess, it was truly a wonder he still had any customers. 

nina was at her usual spot, behind the counter. kaz was too abrasive to welcome customers, and he was the best piercer in the shop. jesper was fine, but he ended up talking to everyone and getting distracted, so he was usually “banished” to the back. nina was as good a tattoo artist as jesper (if not better, according to her) but her style was more artistic, and most people just wanted simple tattoos (and a cute tattoo artist to gaze at), so she worked up front. if nothing else, it gave her tons of stories to tell at parties.

today, however, was pretty monotonous. a couple of giggling college girls came in for nose piercings, a couple wanted to get each other’s names tattooed on their forearms, kaz had to be forcibly restrained from giving said couple a few choice words on their choice of tattoo, nina flirted with a customer. you know, the usual.

but throughout her shift, nina couldn't drag her eyes away from the window. the three owners of the shop drifted in and out of view, carrying flowers and paint and cheap, miscellaneous furniture items. the shop was called “heart’s desire” and the exterior was a gorgeous shade of rose, with deep purple accents. flowers sat in window boxes, and small clovers peeked out through cracks in the sidewalk. it looked perfect, almost too perfect. nina just wanted to curl up in the grass and braid flower crowns.

but she was not going to do that. she had a job to do and bills to pay and responsibilities and other horrendous adult things. as much as she wanted to daydream and drift off, she couldn't. well, maybe a little. maybe she could indulge herself just a little bit.

she could watch the girl’s dark hair, coiled into a tight braid, sway across her shoulders like ocean waves. nina could watch the swirl of her maroon skirt as she watered the plants, as gentle as snow. she could see the girl’s face curl into a bright smile, her soft lips (god, they looked soft) a dark shade of rosewood, round and full. she could watch how when the sun reflected off of her cheekbones, her skin gleamed, reminiscent of dusk skies and dark waters. she was magnificent. she was gorgeous. she was probably dating someone, nevermind that she was most likely straight.

in longer terms: nina zenik was already crushing on a girl, less than a day after seeing her. she doesn't know anything about the girl, not even a name. they've never talked or otherwise recognized each other. regardless, nina had a crush. a big one. a bad one. a “destroy your life and mess up every future relationship you'll ever have” kind of crush. it was easily the kind of crush that would fuck you up and leave you a crying mess on the couch for three weeks (definitely not learnt from experience).

in short terms: nina was doomed.


	2. chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you saw me accidentally post two individual chapters in one, no you didn't <3

nina was the first person at the shop the next day. she was usually late, because while nina wouldn't risk kaz’s wrath for much, a few extra minutes of sleep was most definitely worth it. but today, she had actually woken up early enough to cook something for breakfast (making cereal counts as cooking, right?) and leave a bit earlier than usual. she drove into the city, spent twenty minutes looking for parking, and then grabbed the keys to unlock the shop.

she was definitely not expecting to see a vase of flowers on the doorstep, apparently left by the girl across the street. she was walking away from the tattoo shop, after all. even if she hadn’t left them, nina really wanted an excuse to introduce herself. like, really. it was almost embarrassing, to be honest.

“hey,” nina called out, trying to be friendly but ending up with a half-assed version of commanding, “did you leave these for us?”

the other girl turned, and nina just about swooned. she was so much prettier up close.

in the mid morning light, the sharp arches and dips of her face were drawn in stark detail. the jut of her cheekbones, the soft point of her chin, the curl of her cupid’s bow highlighted above her glossy lips, it was illuminated in all its glory by the slowly rising sun. nina was about to compose a small symphony on the way her nose curved into her brow bone, but the girl spoke before she had the chance.

“yes, hello,” she said, cool, but not unkindly. “i'm inej, i work at the floristry just across the street. we thought some flower arrangements could be a nice way to get to know our neighbors.”

nina nodded in answer, trying not to stare at the girl. inej. that was her name. it was perfect. something elegant, delicate, and svelte, just like her. nina wanted to write poems about the way the name swirled around in her head. just like how inej’s braid swirled when she walked, and-

“are you going to introduce yourself?”

“oh!” nina exclaimed, quite abashed to have been caught drifting like that. “right, sorry. i'm zena ninik. i mean, zenik nina. wait, fuck,” she said, taking a deep breath. “my name is nina zenik. it is way too early and i haven't made any coffee. sorry for… all that.”

inej just smiled, something effervescent and ethereal. “it's alright. it was nice to meet you, nina. i hope you enjoy the flowers,” and the florist turned and began to walk back to the shop.

“we will!” nina yelled after her, to which inej spun back to face nina as she walked. she was walking backwards now, and flashed her another soft smile, before spinning again to walk properly forwards. today she was wearing a gauzy green top and flowing black pants. nina watched as she stepped back into the shop, a sweet chime ringing as the door opened.

“someone’s got a cruuuuu-ush,” jesper sang as he slung an arm around nina’s shoulders. she didn't notice he was there, and shoved him off with a huff. jesper just laughed as he unlocked the doors, tossing the keys to nina. he flicked on the lights and, with a flourish, threw his coat over a chair.

“can you not be such a slob?” nina complained, chucking the coat back at him. “we have a closet for a reason. and no,” she added sharply, stabbing a finger in his direction, “the reason is not so you could come out of it.”

jesper pouted, but dutifully took his coat and dropped it on a hanger instead. it fell off immediately, but nina knew better than to keep nagging him. if he wanted a gross, dusty coat, then so be it. she would hang up her coat nicely, like a normal, organized human being.

“do you know when kaz is supposed to be here? it's already half past late o'clock,” she asked dryly.

“ha, ha, ha,” kaz said sarcastically, slipping in through the door, “very funny. you should really quit your job and become a comedian, nina.”

she shrugged, unbothered. “i couldn’t abandon the body mod industry like that. they need more devastatingly beautiful tattoo artists.”

jesper snorted into his hand, and nina shot him a dirty look. kaz just sighed. “can someone start a pot of coffee before i kill you both?”

“jes has to do it,” nina quipped, “i made it last time.”

“hey, i had to make it last time because you took a day off.”

“and? your point?”

“children,” kaz said disapprovingly, “let's not bicker.”

“fuck off,” jesper complained good-naturedly, but he dutifully started brewing a pot of coffee. for some strange reason, it always tasted better when jes made it. not too strong, not too weak. he really knew how to work the machine. (in reality, jesper just pressed some buttons and hoped for the best, but no one needed to know that.)

nina grabbed three mugs from the cupboard, all of them handmade. kaz would slap them if they mentioned it (they'd learned their lesson the first time) but he was a talented potter. for jesper’s birthday, he made a dark orange mug, detailed with curling leaves and delicate florals. for nina’s birthday, he crafted a lavender mug with intricate patterns of stars and constellations. kaz’s own mug was a warm brown, but if you looked closely, you could see the dappling pattern of a tree trunk. they were gorgeous and extremely well-made, and they used them every morning. jesper poured the coffee into them, the rich aroma filling the space, and nina downed hers in about fifteen seconds (her record was eleven).

“jeez,” jesper laughed, “slow down. we don't open for another fifteen minutes.” he drank his own coffee elegantly, long fingers wrapped like vines around the mug’s sienna base.

nina stifled a sizable yawn but still managed an impressively sarcastic eye roll. “i need as much caffeine in my body as is humanly possible, and i need it to kick in before a gaggle of day-drinking PTA moms come in asking for a tattoo of their kid’s names on their tits.”

jesper snorted into his coffee. “fair enough, are you working the front today?”

“please don't make me,” nina whined, perhaps a little more dramatic than necessary, but she needed to lay it on thick to win this argument. “i've been on desk duty forever. it's not my fault that kaz scares away all our customers.”

jesper sighed. “it's not that bad, okay? the last guy who came in for a tattoo looked and smelled like a wet hamburger, and i had to sit there and listen to him talk about his girlfriend and it was actually the worst thing that's ever happened in my life.”

nina snorted. “at least something interesting happens. i have to stand and smile and pretend that i care your latest frat party is the reason you missed your tattoo appointment. if i have to talk to another preppy college bitch i swear i'm going to lose it.”

kaz slipped into the room almost silently, and cleared his throat with his usual air of self-importance. “i don’t have any appointments today. i'll take the front.”

with a squeal, nina made to hug kaz, but a cold glare stopped her in her tracks. she conceded and went for a blinding grin. “thank you, kaz! thank you so much. i promise i’ll never make fun of your baby pictures again.”

“baby pictures?” jes interjected, a short smirk curling around his lips.

kaz turned to nina, a dark look on his face. “you said you'd never mention those to anyone. back to desk duty, i'm afraid.”

“no, kaz please, i’m sorry!” she cried, but his back was turned and she didn't really think kaz was one to budge when it came to making others (chiefly nina) suffer. jesper just shone a shit-eating grin in her direction, shameless and dripping with glee.

“i hate all of you,” nina grumbled into her coffee. jesper snorted and drained the last of his coffee, tossing his mug cavalierly into the sink. nina placed hers there as well, albeit in a much gentler fashion, and moped up to the front desk.

she didn't entirely hate working the front desk, to be frank. the clients weren’t horrendous, the work was pretty simple, and it wasn't a bad setup. but it still irked her. like kaz and jesper didn't trust her to pierce and tattoo as well as they did. that they relegated her to the front because she wasn't as talented as they were. part of her thought this was absolutely ridiculous, but a smaller and extremely insistent part of her continued to push the issue. kaz could behave when he wanted to, and jesper was naturally quite friendly. they could work the front just as often as she did. but they didn't. and there weren't too many other reasons why.

but it was unimportant right now. she had a job to do. and right now, that job entailed picking the music to play in the shop. today was a mitski day, she decided, and perhaps some florence as well. the others didn't like it, but they made her work the front in the first place anyway, so they didn't get a vote. nina smiled at this thought, and hummed along to the soft, melodic tune.

the clock hit seven, and almost as it summoned, the girl from the flower shop stepped through the doorway. and nina forgot to breathe for a solid minute.

inej (that was her name, right?) was speckled in dust and dirt and still looked just as gorgeous as nina remembered her. strands of dark hair were drifting out of her once tightly-woven braid, like ivy at midnight. her green shirt hung off her shoulders, exposing a dazzling inch of deep brown skin, and nina thought she might die. elegant collarbones graced her slender neck, complete with a tiny freckle at the base.

“you left these outside,” inej said with a soft smile, “i hope they weren't that awful.” in her arms was the very arrangement that she had dropped off earlier. nina had been about to grab it, but things tend to slip your mind when you're making a fool of yourself in front of aphrodite reincarnated.

“oh my god, no!” nina said quickly. “i love them, they're gorgeous, especially the- uh, the yellow ones! no, no, i just forgot. i'm just... really forgetful. yeah. you know, alway, um, forgetting things…” she trailed off, her cheeks a glaring red.

inej gently pulled one of the flowers out of the arrangement. “may i?” she asked. nina had no clue what inej was asking, but she nodded anyway. there wasn't much she wouldn't let inej do to her, quite frankly.

with fingers more delicate than dandelion fluff, inej tucked the white flower behind nina’s ear, the bud an explosion of color against her dark hair. nina stopped breathing, afraid that if she shifted or moved then she would shatter the illusion, break the spell. a part of her thought she was dreaming. but can you spell her sweet jasmine perfume and feel a smooth flower stem against your ear if you're dreaming? nina didn't think so.

“there,” inej said, almost shyly. “it's a lily of the valley. it suits you.” it might have just been a trick of the light, but nina would have sworn that her cheeks colored, even if only slightly. she didn't know why, but knowing that made nina’s heart beat just a little bit faster. and with the brush of inej’s fingers against her skin, it was already pounding out of her chest at a pretty violent speed.

nina knew she'd remember inej’s whispering touch against her skin for a very, very long time. “thank you,” she said, trying not to grin like an idiot and failing magnificently. “it's a gorgeous flower, and a great arrangement. thank you so much.”

“it's nothing,” inej shrugged. “just thought it'd be a nice way to introduce ourselves to the neighbors.” she stepped back slightly, and the moment shattered. nina could feel the air between them cooling, energy slowing and fading to a soft buzz. a part of her deflated, wishing that they could've stayed that close forever. but it was impossible. (right?)

“well,” nina started, “it was nice seeing you. i do have to uh, get back to work, so…” she finished awkwardly, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

“oh! of course,” inej answered quickly, “sorry. i'll just be on my way then. anyway, have a nice day.”

the soft chime of the door and a lingering scent of jasmine was all that helped nina prove she didn't actually imagine the entire thing. it was all so surreal. inej came to talk to her? even though she said it was just to drop off flowers, nina thought that was a little suspicious. but was she flirting or just being friendly? was nina misreading the entire thing? it was all a tremendous mess and nina felt like a goddamn lovestruck highschooler all over again. of course, jesper picked the perfect time to come and bother her.

“you're so gay,” he laughed, leaning down to smell the flowers on the counter. “also useless. she was right there. you should've kissed her.”

nina rolled her eyes. “i barely know her! i can't just kiss someone i met this morning.” (even if she really, really, really wanted to.)

“suit yourself,” jesper snorted. “this whole thing is like a damn rom-com. just skip the shitty music and cut to the chase.”

nina just groaned and dramatically flopped onto jesper’s shoulder (who didn't quite appreciate being used as a human headrest, but he put up with it). “but i caaaaan’t,” nina protested. “what if she doesn't like me and i'm just assuming things?”

“hey,” jesper interjected, stepping back with his palms up, “i'm not your relationship counselor. you're a big girl. ask her out, get rejected, and cry over a tub of ice cream like the rest of us.”

“you're the worst,” nina complained, . “i thought we were friends.”

jesper laughed. “yeah, except not when you're being dumb. just ask her out.”

“ugh, go away,” nina grumbled, swatting him lightly. jesper gasped in mock surprise and headed to the back in order to get ready for his next client.

jesper was right, to a certain degree. she needed to get over herself and talk to inej. but fear of rejection is a bitch and nina was not exactly excited to put herself in that position for the seven thousandth time. maybe inej would let her down gently? she seemed like the kind of person to be nice about those things. then again, jesper didn't look like the kind of person to drunkenly sob into your pillows during project runway because “the dress was just so gorgeous”, but nina has the whole thing on video. people are surprising sometimes.

(jesper has tried for years to delete the video, but to no avail. nina’s saving it for his wedding.)

maybe she'd take inej out for dinner, or something. but how was she possibly going to keep from making a fool of herself in front of inej? again? nina didn't exactly trust her flirting skills. it was like handing a toddler a lighter and asking her to cook a turkey. a very bad idea.

boy, she was fucked.


	3. chapter three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more wlw shenanigans, just for you!

nina had a plan.

mind you, it wasn't a good plan. but it was still a plan.

she was just going to keep showing up in inej’s life until the girl was so taken by her that they fell in love and got married immediately. what could go wrong?

It'd been two days since inej had come by the shop, and that meant two days full of scheming, planning, frantically texting alina for advice at two in the morning, and preparation. she had everything all worked out. she would take a late lunch break and go over to the floristry. she'd say that she wanted to practice drawing their flowers to learn anatomy for a tattoo, and she'd surprise inej with a latte (with a little heart drawn on top, of course). it would all go perfectly. right?

well, fate had other plans. and those other plans came in the shape of a five foot tall redhead and a mile-wide grin that would swallow you whole if you weren't careful. fate was better known as genya safin, local coffee shop barista, and one of nina’s closest friends. she often stopped by to bother kaz, compliment jesper’s strange fashion choices, and harass nina into dyeing her hair pink, so her presence wasn’t unwelcome. jesper and kaz both had clients today, so nina was marooned (again) at the front desk. which meant she got genya’s full and undivided attention.

(this was not a good thing.)

“hey!” genya chirped, heading into the tattoo parlour in a swirl of fabric that looked awfully expensive. she always had impeccable style, and even a barista apron couldn’t dampen it. flowy white pants wreathed her legs, and her red blouse was delightfully low-cut. (listening to herself, nina realized she should’ve known much earlier that she liked women.) her smile was bright and beautiful, and her eyes were bright with excitement. this look usually preceded something embarrassing and painful. nina held her breath.

“so i heard about all your…” genya wiggled her eyebrows, “girl trouble…”

nina groaned. “alina spilled, didn’t she?”

“of course!” genya chimed, curling a strand of fiercely ginger hair around her finger absent-mindedly. “what, did you think she wouldn’t?”

nina pursed her lips. “perhaps.”

“honey, she’s my girlfriend. and besides, this was too adorable for even her to keep to herself. nina’s got a cruuuuu-ush,” genya sang, with an abundance of glee in her voice. “so! tell me everything. have you kissed yet?”

“no! no, no, no, absolutely not, no, we are not having this conversation. not here, not now, not ever,’ nina said, shoving her hands over her ears. this was not happening. nope.

“but-,” genya interjected.

“nope!”

genya pouted, her glossy pink lips sparkling in the midmorning sun. “you’re no fun. you’re worse than zoya.”

“hey, take that back!” nina complained. “i am nothing like zoya! one of us is a horrible person, and the other one is me.” nina and zoya were friends, of course, but they definitely butted heads on more than one occasion. alina said it was because they were both so strong-willed. nina said it was because she was allergic to egotistical clowns. who knew what the real answer was? 

“oh, get over it,” genya said dismissively, “you two are basically the same person. regardless, at least zoya can stop being a bumbling fool for a minute and genuinely flirt with someone.”

nina groaned and laid her head on the counter. “you're right, it’s hopeless! i’m going to die alone, surrounded by cats. just admit it, genya. i’m a lost cause.”

“someone’s feeling dramatic today,” kaz said dryly, strolling in to the front of the shop. 

“don’t you have a client?” nina grumbled, her cheek going numb from the chilly counter. she took a moment to admire the jewelry under the protective layer of glass. shining silver and gold, studded with multicolored gemstones. like inej’s eyes, nina thought dreamily, her gaze catching on the streaked wood base. it was a warm shade of brown, amber and black threading through it. she could get lost in that soft swirling brown forever.

“earth to nina?” 

she blinked, and turned her head sideways to face genya, who had donned a teasing grin during nina’s short “trip to inej-ville”, as alina had called it. nina peeled herself off the counter and groaned. “what?”

“what were you thinking about?” genya said slyly, “or should i say… who?”

nina rolled her eyes. “shut up.”

kaz cleared his throat, and the two girls turned to face him. “to answer your question, nina, i did have a client. but he got annoying, so i stabbed him with a four guage and left him to bleed out in the back room.” his face was normally quite stoic, but a slight twitch of his lips betrayed his self-satisfaction. the expression became increasingly smug as the client strolled up to the front, alive and well.

“thank you so much for the tattoo,” the young man said quietly, rosy curls framing a gentle smile. “it’s perfect.” his sleeves were rolled up, and his left forearm bore the bright red blush of a fresh tattoo. it was a simple design, a bundle of lavender and rosemary, tied with a small ribbon.

“can’t believe you got it done by that asshat,” genya muttered, shooting a sideways grin at nina, who very much enjoyed any and all jokes at kaz’s expense. (he was not amused.)

“oh, be quiet,’ he shot back, “you couldn’t make a proper latte if your life was on the line.” 

genya’s face morphed into an expression of mock offense. “at least i look nice. you dress like a walmart version of gerard way.”

the poor client was just standing there, looking as lost as a sorority girl in a library. his eyes flickered back between genya and kaz, as if it was a tennis match he couldn’t help but watch. and of course, jesper picked this moment to appear, and further the torment.

“ooh, who’s this?” he said playfully, arching his eyebrows. 

“uh, my name’s wylan…?” the boy said slowly, fidgeting with the sleeves of his cable-knit sweater. his freckled cheeks were beginning to tint the same pink as his hair, and jesper had only just started.

but jesper was more reserved today. less forward, more hesitant. (did he hit his head?) “i’m jesper. you work at heart’s desire, don’t you?”

wylan started to seem much more at ease. “yeah! we just moved in, but i guess you already knew that?” he asked, a soft smile blooming at his blunder. “it’s me and matthias, and-” he turned to face nina, “of course, you know inej works there too.”  
“what does that mean?” nina questioned. did it mean that inej talked about her? was that a good thing? or was she complaining about nina? or?

“oh, nothing,” wylan blushed. “just that she’s- she’s mentioned you. once or twice. you know. in passing.” oh, he was a furious red now.

genya jumped on the subject immediately. “so she talks about nina, huh?”

“well, yes, but not- i mean no. but, wait, i mean, sort of-” 

“leave the kid alone,” jesper cut in. “you can interrogate him later. i think all the stress might make him explode.” he caught wylan’s gaze, and did something wildly out of character. he smiled. not a smirk, or a grin, not barbed or playful. a genuine smile. sweet and kind, all wild honey and fresh-cut flowers. it suited him. made him look younger, a lovestruck teenager flirting with the boy next door. nina wanted to photograph the moment and keep it forever.

“right,” wylan said suddenly. “i should… get going. i’ve got, uh, important… flower things to do. yeah. bye,” he muttered, a short, shy wave preceding a quick run out the door. 

“i think we just saw the first ever case of human brain melting-itis,” genya remarked. “jesper was just too hot for him to handle.”

“quit it,” jes mumbled, but his cheeks were glowing red.

kaz raised an eyebrow. “does jesper fahey, heartthrob of the district, have a crush?” his voice was measured but melodramatic, the kind that wriggled its way under your skin and made a nest inside your muscles. it was fun when you weren’t the object of ridicule, but that voice could tear you apart and then shred you again, just for shits and giggles. nina thanked every god in the vicinity that wasn’t the case.

“of course not,” jesper sniffed, but anyone with a brain could tell that he was doing his best not to break. it was a valiant effort, but kaz was a vicious force to reckon with.

“really?”

the two boys caught eyes, silver against pitch, and it was about two seconds before jesper jerked his head to the side, blushing furiously. “well, maybe, i might… maybe have a little, tiny crush on him… maybe…”

nina whooped, pumping her fist in the air like an overenthusiastic camp counselor about to cheerily tell you to clean the toilets. “i knew it!” 

kaz fixed jes with a cool look. “hey, next time you see wylan, ask if they sell a two-for-one special at the flower shop. or maybe a bogo- date wylan, and get inej free,” he purred, a dry tease curling off of his words.

“fuck off,” jesper groaned, burying his face in his hands. “it’s not like it’s going anywhere. he doesn’t even like me back.” 

genya hummed, a subtle signal that she not-so-subtly disagreed. “did you see him when he walked in? it was like the poor boy went to the beach for a week. he was bright fucking red. not unlike you,” she added, to jesper’s disapproval. “but seriously. he was crushing, hard. so, ask him out!”

“absolutely not,” jesper shot back, “not in a million years. i can’t.”

“why not?” nina ventured, a soft shrug to her shoulders and a pout to her lips. “it wouldn’t hurt. either you go on a cute date and it’s lovely, or he says no and you get another crisis stamp.”

a crisis stamp was the affectionate term for spur of the moment body modifications (not so creatively modeled after the term tramp stamp). your girlfriend dumped you, you failed a class, you accidentally set your roommate’s plant on fire and didn’t know how to break it to her… that kind of stuff. all of them had a few. kaz had a piercing on his right earlobe, a reminder of the time he tried hitting on a “guy” at a bar, only to find it was a butch lesbian who was very vocally uninterested. in a rare display of emotion, he’d ranted to jes, nina, and nikolai about how frustrating it was to constantly be viewed as straight, because he didn’t act or dress feminine, and because he was bisexual with a preference for girls. nikolai had suggested the piercing, because a quick google search told them that the right ear was the gay ear. the next morning, kaz woke up with a killer hangover and a piece of metal in his ear and vowed to never get drunk (in front of his friends) again.

nina had quite a few. a crescent moon on her left shoulder, from when her girlfriend had dumped her and she’d watched avatar: the last airbender to cope. yue had inspired her, and she decided to get the moon tattoo so she’d have “a portable girlfriend”. the time she’d almost adopted a cat but at the last minute, realized she didn’t have enough money, so she got kaz to tattoo a small calico on her stomach. the industrial piercing that she’d gotten after ages of begging jesper, because she’d just gotten a nasty phone call from her parents and decided to piss them off even more. 

jesper had few tattoos or piercings, but the one tattoo he did have was, of course, a crisis stamp. it had been his first couple months working at the shop, working there to pay his way through college. he was a good piercer and tattoo artist, but neither nina nor kaz knew him too well. but one night, nina was swinging by the shop to grab the keys she’d left, and saw jesper sitting out front. she was about to say hi or tease him for working so late, when she saw the hollow look in his eyes. she pulled him inside, sat him down, and shoved a mug of tea into his cold hands. they sat there for a couple minutes, until jes cleared his throat roughly.

“they raised my scholarship,” he mumbled. “i can’t afford it, not even with another job. said it was because of unforeseen expenses or some shit,” jesper punctatuted this with a harsh swig of his earl grey. “i couldn’t go back to the dorms. and i didn’t know where else to go. so, here i am.” he laughed, a sad, bitter sound, and rubbed his eyes.

nina sat there for a moment, quietly. she didn’t know what to say. apologizing wasn’t going to fix this. it was awful and horrible and sad and lonely, and jesper didn’t know how to cope. neither did she, quite honestly, but she had a general idea of what to do. she’d seen enough sobbing sorority girls to connect the dots.

“i can’t make this better. but i can do something to help… take your mind off this,” she said slowly, “to make this night not entirely shitty.”

jesper’s eyes flickered to her, curious and oh, so empty.

“i’m giving you a tattoo. you can pick a design, or i can freestyle. your choice,” nina stated, already starting to think about what designs she could do for him. because of course, he picked freestyle.

the tattoo took hours, and a couple sessions, but it was worth it. a writhing design arched over his back, vines trailing from his shoulder to his hip. the stem transformed across the design- it began as simple ivy, then shifted to an arrowhead vine, then into a draping canopy of flowers and leaves. small details outlined thorns and spikes, and gentle petals burst across his skin. the design almost looked like wings, from the right angle. queen anne’s lace and opuntia spun into feathery outlines, musculature and bone defined by the soft curves of echeveria. it was beautiful and it hurt your eyes to look at it, just a bit. but jesper loved it, and that was what mattered.

the button down he was wearing today was slightly undone, dipping off his shoulder and showing off the barest inch of the swirling black ink. he just shrugged as an answer. “i don’t wanna get hurt.”

“jesper? scared about being toyed with by a partner? oh, how the turntables…”

“kaz, hush,” nina snapped. “don’t listen to him, jes. he needs a nap. you’re gonna be fine, okay?” after a pause, she added, “look. i’ll ask inej out on a date, and i’ll prove it’s not that bad. deal?”

fuck. what had nina gotten herself into this time?


	4. chapter four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no i don't keep ending my chapters with some form of the word fuck what do you mean xoxo

“hi, is inej here?” nina asked, voice wobbling like alina in stilettos.

the heavyset blond man behind the counter did not seem interested in her weak attempt at conversation. he jerked his head to the left, where a small entryway was labeled “staff only”. which was great. just wonderful.

the shop was perfectly suited to wandering, however. plants burst out at every corner, crowding the small space. the selection ranged from towering peace lilies to delicate jade plants. pots of all shapes, colors, and sizes adorned the shop. they were on the floor, on shelves, on mismatched tables, and hanging from the ceiling. books adorned the shop as well. plant protection manuals everywhere, trying to teach both middleaged white women and new age hippies how to not murder their precious aloe plants. small chunks of crystals and other stones were balanced on the few free inches of space. it was cluttered and a bit claustrophobic. nina wanted to stay here for the rest of her life. it felt full of possibilities and life and good things. that could’ve just been all the fresh air getting to her, however.

“nina?” a sweet voice chimed from behind her.

nina turned, and almost slammed right into inej. “sorry!” she yelped, taking a step back. “i didn’t see you there, i’m really sorry.”

the other girl just smiled gently. “it’s alright, i know you didn’t mean it. matthias says you were looking for me?”

“who’s matthias?” nina asked, dumbfounded. but it was worth it, because inej’s glittering smile was now on full, 128-watt display. it was like tea, steaming and sweet and it was pouring through her veins. nina would’ve lit herself on fire, would’ve let the world burn to ash, just to keep inej warm.

“he’s the oaf who works at the counter. he doesn’t like people, and i’m not quite sure why wylan wanted him to be our customer service liaison, but…” she trailed off with an elegant shrug. “anyway, what can i help you with?”

“oh!” nina said, trying to remember how to form coherent sentences. “right, yeah, well, you see… i wanted to come in and draw your… flowers? yeah. i need some practice on drawing plant anatomy, and you know, who better to ask than an actual florist? and since you’re right across the street, i thought—”

inej cut her off easily. “of course. anything for you,” she added brightly. “do you have any plants in mind? or just plants in general?”

“anything is fine!” nina chirped nervously. “all flowers are good, and also other plants and… stuff.”

“i have just the thing,” inej said, turning towards the register, her dark purple skirts swirling as she moved. “follow me.”

and so she did.

inej led her through the “employees only” door (which sparked a bit of glee) and into a massive greenhouse. plants were everywhere, even more crammed in here than in the shop. nina was in love. they walked through the many rows of flowers until inej stopped and pointed. “how's this?”

it was a gorgeous indigo flower, looking almost like lavender. it was a tall, soft green stem, dotted with bright purple buds. nina wanted to take a picture of this moment and save it forever. inej, wearing a lacy white top, flowing violet skirts, and a sunshine smile, next to the plants she worked so hard to grow. it was idyllic and perfect.

“it's a blue salvia,” inej was saying, “salvia farinacea. it's a type of sage. really popular for growing because honestly, you can't kill it.”

(inej was so pretty when she talked about things nina didn't understand.)

“uh huh,” nina nodded, “it's so pretty.”

inej looked back at the door before saying, “yeah! anyway, i'm gonna head back to the front if you don't need anything-”

“you should stay!” nina blurted out. “i mean, you know a ton about this plant. you can tell me how to fix it if i draw it wrong.”

inej paused, her face almost… was that hopeful? “are you sure? i don't want to distract you or anything.” 

“of course,” nina said softly, “i'd love to have you around.”

the other girl smiled, her rosy lips as soft as a peach and twice as sweet. she sat down elegantly, skirts twirling around her as she crossed her legs underneath her. she leaned against the legs of a table and looked up at nina. “well, go on,” inej teased, “draw me some sage.”

so nina did. sort of.

she drew the arching roof of the greenhouse, shaded in steam and speckled with water droplets. the rows of plants, reaching up to the sun with desperate leaves. she drew the sage, of course. the delicate petals that surrounded the stem, deep indigo against pale green. the rich, dark soil. but she also drew inej.

inej, with her soft cheeks, a shade of smoky dark amber that seemed to glow in the sunlight. with her deep, lovely eyes, large enough to get lost in. she looked like a statue of a goddess, with her sharp cheekbones, her strong nose, and her prominent jaw. her midnight hair coiled around her throat and slid down her back, freed from its usual braid. her violet skirts lay around her, ruffled and messy, but gorgeous all the same. nina drew it all.

when she was done, she didn’t know how much time had passed. but inej was still sitting there, a gentle smile on her face. she seemed to sense that nina had finished, and asked, “may i see it?”

startled and surprised that inej wanted to see her work, she quickly nodded and handed over the sketchbook. inej took it, and her eyes took on a look of fascination. she traced the pen strokes with an awed finger, as if it were a masterpiece, a painting worth millions. she finally handed it back to nina, but she still looked wonderstruck.

“this is… gorgeous,” she said quietly. “it's the most wonderful thing i've ever seen.”

nina blushed scarlet. “oh, it's not a big deal, i-”

she was silenced with a kiss on the cheek.

inej had stood up and closed the distance between them, standing on the tips of her toes to reach nina’s face. “thank you,” she said again, her voice insistent and awed. 

nina felt like a spectre, a ghost. her whole body felt numb, but her cheek was pulsing with energy. this was unlike anything she'd ever felt before. she never wanted to let it go.

but she had to.

“i've got to get back to work,” nina stammered, “my break is almost over.”

inej nodded serenely. “of course. i'll see you again?”

it was a question, but to nina, it felt like a statement. “of course.”

she somehow stumbled back to the tattoo shop in a haze, her mind fuzzy and full of the way inej felt, so close to her. she numbly opened the door and sank into a chair with a sigh.

“how’d it go?” jesper teased, appearing beside her.

nina just groaned. “i'm so fucked.”


End file.
